Method of vacuum drying packages of yarn, including rotating the packages



9 P. H. VAN SCHERPENZEEL 5 METHOD OF VACUUM DRYING PACKAGES OF YARN INCLUDING ROTATING THE PACKAGES Filed Feb. 11, 1946 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR jzkkzlvmlelelpmzeel 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P. H. VAN SCHERPENZEEL Dec. 16, 1947.

METHOD OF VACUUM DRYING PACKAGES 0F YARN INCLUDING ROTATING THE PACKAGES NEY Patented Dec. 16, 1947 METHOD OF VACUUM DRYING PACKAGES OF YARN. INCLUDING ROTATING THE PACKAGES Pieter H. van Scherpenzeel, West Asheville, N. 0., assignor to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. 0., a corporation of Delaware Application February 11, 1946, Serial No. 646,877

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a method of drying packages of rayon and similar textile yarns or threads and more particularly toa method constituting improvements over those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,266,375. issued December 16, 1941, reference to which is hereby made.

The apparatus of this invention is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 752,861, filed June 6, 1947.

U. S. Patent No. 2,266,375 describes and claims a method of drying rayon packages under a controlled vacuum in a closed container to effeet the drying of the rayon at lower temperatures than wouldotherwise be possible, the drying of the packages proceeding from the ins de to the outside thereof. An apparatus for practicing the method is also described and claimed in the said patent. In this connection it is to be noted that the container is provided with a number of heating cylinders extending inwardly from one end wall thereof. The cylinders are each open 'at their fixed ends to permit the circulation of a heating medium therethrough, the cylinders being closed at their unsupported ends to confine the heating medium to the interiors thereof. Rayon packages may be assembled on the cylinders in any convenient manner, e. g., as shown in the patent, they may be arranged in s de-by-side relationship on loading tubes which are adapted to slide snugly over their respective cylinders. Each of the tubes is of such diameter with respect to the rayon packages that it is sufficiently small to permit complete contraction of the rayon in the packages during drying.

Despite the fact that the patentees intend that all heat be directly applied to the packages through the medium of the cylinders and that they disclose the presence of insulation material as a lining for the container, it has been determined that inthe use of such an apparatus the drying does not proceed entirely as desired since some drying actually takes place prematurely in those segments of the outer portions of the packages which are adjacent or near the shell of the container. This premature dry ng in the outer portions of said packages is due to the radiation of heat from the shell of the container. The drying of rayon in those portions of the outsides of the packages before the 2 I respective interiors of the packages creates tension in the outer portion and causes shrinkage d fferences in the packages which in turn produces a barre effect in weaving and creates uneven dyeing characteristics in the thread.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of drying packages of rayon which involves the rotation of the rayon packages during such drying operation so that all portions of the outside of the packages are exposed to the shell of the container for substantially the same time during the drying period.

It is a further object of the invention to effect the drying of packages of rayon under a high vacuum and by a heating medium substantially confined to the interiors of the packages whereby the drying takes place from the inside to outside thereoi, and to avoid objectionable premature drying which might normally occur in segments of the outer portions of packages positioned near the container shell by effecting periodic partial rotation of said packages during the drying period.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of apparatus made in accordance with this invent on, the container being partially broken away to show the mechanism for rotating the loa ing tubes; and

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1, showing the arrangement of the heating cylinders and the loading tubes with gears for rotating the packages positioned adjacent the cylindrical sh ll of the container.

Referring to the drawings in detail there is shown a vacuum drier generally indicated at Iii. This drier is constructed similarly to the one shown in the above-mentioned patent and contains all of the elements thereof. It is contemplated that a large number of heating cylinders ll be utilzed and arranged in the manner indicated in Figure 2. Heating cylinders H are fixed to extend from plate l2. Packages of rayon l3 are positioned on loading tubes M which are slidably mounted on the cylinders 3 H. Those loading tubes M which form the outer row adjacent the cylindrical shell I5 of the vacuum drier iii are each provided at their inner ends with a gear' i6, Said loading tubes are annularly arranged with their respective gears H5 in mesh with adjacent ones of the series and therefore the partial rotation of one of the tubes of the outer row will result in the rotation of each of the said tubes.

Whereas in the drawings, only the extreme outer row of loading tubes l4 are shown provided with gears is to effect rotation of the tubes, it is contemplated that the next adjacent row or rows may also be provided with similar gears in case it is necessary to rotate the same dur ng drying.

Gearing designated generally at I! is provided for driving the gears l6. Gearing l1 includes a spur gear l8 which meshes with the lowermost gear I6 of the series. Gear [8 is keyed to counter shaft I! which shaft is suitably supported in b ari gs fixed on plate 20 by means of standard 2|. Pl te 20 constitutes a cover for an opening 22 in the shell of the drier H]. A bevel gear 23 is mounted on the end of shaft l9 remote from gear [8. Bevel gear 23 meshes with a bevel gear 24 mounted on vertical shaft 25. Shaft 25 extends down through a stufilng box bearing assembly 26 and plate 20 so that driving of the gear train may be efiected from outside of the vacuum drier. Any suitable means for rotating shaft 25 may be employed such as a ratchet lever, wheel or crank (not shown). Shaft 25 may be operated either manually or automatically. While container in may be lined with insulating material as shown in the said patent the lining is not essential when the loading tubes adjacent the container are constructed for rotation as described.

In practicing the present method in the drier as described, rayon packages are first assembled on all of the loading tubes l4 and the tubes with the packages thereon are deposited over the heating cylinders II. It is to be understood that those loading tubes It to which the gears it are secured are deposited upon the heating cylinders of the outer annular row or rows of cylinders whereas the normal tubes are deposited upon the inner cylinders. At this stage the drier is hermetically sealed and evacuated to a high'vacuum. A heating medium is circulated through the closed cylinders in the manner described in U. S. Patent No. 2,266,375 so that the packages on-the tubes are dried progressively from the inside to the outside. At-intervals the cylinders located adjacent or near the shell of the drier are partially rotated. The extent of such rotation and the time intervals between each rotating operation are dependent on the particular conditions employed. It has been determined that turning the tubes 90 to 180 every 8 to 16 hours eliminates most of the irregularities which would normally occur during drying and that rotating the said tubes and packages of rayon thereon 90 every 12 hours is especially suitable under the conditions employed in the referred to patent. It is of course understood that the packages should not be turned in either direction so that they are out of their original positions more than 180 at any one time.

It is to be understood that various modifications, such as using more than onegear train for rotating the tubes, may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of 4 the invention which is to be limited only to the extent of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of drying rayon packages which have thread-free centers which comprises positioning a plurality of such packages in a drying zone in rows of varying distance from the shell of a closed container, evacuating the zone, passing a confined heating medium through the thread-free centers of the packages without directly contacting the inner threads with the heating medium to dry the packages from the inside to the outside thereof and throughout the drying operation, rotating those rows of packages nearest the shell of the container less than 180 about their longitudinal axes at periodic intervals whereby all portions of the outside of the packages are subjected to substantially the same degree of heat of radiation from the shell.

2. A method of drying rayon packages having thread-free centers comprising, supporting a plurality of such rayon packages within a chamber adjacent the shell thereof, evacuating the chamber sufficiently to maintain a high vacuum on the packages, heating the packages through the medium of imperforate heat emitting means confined within the thread-free centers of the packages, and partially rotating the packages periodically about their longitudinal axes during the drying thereof, whereby all of the outer portions of each of the said packages are subjected to substantially uniform conditions of drying.

3. A method of drying rayon packages having threadfree centers comprising, supporting a plurality of such rayon packages within a chamber adjacent or near the shell thereof, evacuating the chamber sufiiciently to maintain a high vacuum on the packages, applying heat to the packages by circulating heating medium within the thread-free interiors thereof without directly contacting the inner threads with the heating medium, and rotating the packages less than periodically about their longitudinal axes during the drying thereof, whereby all of the outer portions of each of the said packages are subjected to substantially uniform conditions of drying.

4. A method of drying rayon packages having thread-free centers comprising, positioning a plurality of groups of'such rayon packages within a chamber at varying distances from the shell thereof, evacuating the chamber sufficiently to maintain a high vacuum on the packages. heating the packages through the medium of imperforate heat emitting means confined within the thread-free centers of the packages, and periodically during the drying of the packages partially rotating the packages in those groups nearest the shell of the chamber about their longitudinal axes, whereby all segments of the outer surfaces of each of the said rotated packages are subjected to substantially uniform conditions of drying.

5. A method of drying rayon packages having thread-free centers comprising, supporting a plurality of parallel groups of such rayon packages within a chamber, the packages of each group being positioned in end-to-end contact and the groups being arranged in annular rows, evacuating the chamber sufficiently to maintain a high vacuum on the packages, applying heat to the packages by circulating confined heating medium within the thread-free interiors thereof without directly contacting the inner threads with the heating medium, and periodically rotating the packages about their longitudinal axes in the outer annular rows less than 180' durin: the dryin thereof, whereby all segments oi the outer surfaces or each of the said rotated packages are subjected to substantially uniiorm conditions of drying,

PIETER H. VAN SCHERPENZEEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Foss Dec. 7, 1920 Number Number Barnes Apr. 17, 1945 

